SNAP LOCK BALANCE SHOE AND SYSTEM FOR A PIVOTABLE WINDOW
Disclosed are apparatus for a snap lock balance shoe and system to be incorporated in pivotable double hung windows. In one embodiment, the snap lock balance shoe includes a pair of retractable tabs that partially extend through openings within an inverted window balance.
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This application incorporates by reference in its entirety and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/261,501 entitled Snap Lock Balance Shoe and System for a Pivotable Window filed on Jan. 12, 2001.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a window balance system for use in a pivotable window assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to the field of tilt-in windows. More particularly this invention relates to a balance shoe of a window balance system used in conjunction with a pivot bar mounted on a window sash for rotating the window sash relative to a window frame.
Typical pivotable double hung windows include two window sashes disposed in tracks located in a window frame to allow vertical sliding movement of the sashes. Pivot bars are provided to allow rotational movement of a pivotable window sash about the pivot bars to facilitate cleaning of glazing. To control vertical movement, window balances are used so that the window sashes remain in a position in which they are placed. Balance shoes are used to guide the rotational movement of the window sashes with respect to the window frame. Typically, the balance shoes are coupled to window balances with a connecting member. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,398, entitled “Tilt Window Balance Shoe Assembly with Three Directional Locking” issued to H. Dale Yates, Jr., the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
One of the problems with balance shoes and window balances for pivotable double hung windows is that they are difficult to install. In order to install a pivotable double hung window with balance shoes and window balances, the following installation steps typically must be followed. First, before the window frame is assembled, the balance shoes are inserted into jamb tracks. Next, connecting members are used to attach the balance shoes to the window balances. The balance shoes generally have an opening to accept the pivot bars that are mounted on window sashes. Finally, the sashes are made operable by inserting the pivot bars into the balance shoes and rotating the window sash up to a vertical position in the jamb tracks. The installation process is rather complex and difficult. Repair costs for replacing balance shoes are also significant. In order to change a malfunctioning or failed balance shoe, the jamb tracks either need to be deformed or replaced to gain access to the problematic balance shoe for removal and replacement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a balance shoe. The balance shoe includes a frame, a locking member at least partially disposed within the frame, a cam in communication with the locking member, and a connecting device for attaching the balance shoe within a window balance. Embodiments of the invention can include the following features. The connecting device can include one or more retractable tabs that engage the window balance directly. The frame can further include a frame pocket sized to receive a fastener. The cam can include at least one camming surface and a keyhole opening for receiving a pivot bar attached to a window sash. The cam is at least partially housed within the frame and is disposed within a space enclosed by the locking member. Upon rotating the cam with the pivot bar, the locking member engages the window jamb. In one embodiment, the locking member includes two opposing ends integrally connected by a spring member. The cam is located within a space between the opposing ends of the locking member, and upon rotating the cam with the pivot bar, the opposing ends engage the window jamb. In another embodiment, the locking member includes a plate, which is parallel to a back surface of the frame. The cam is located within a space between the plate and the frame such that rotating the cam with the pivot bar forces the plate to engage the window jamb.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an inverted window balance system for use within a pivotable double hung window assembly. The inverted window balance system includes a rigid U-shaped channel with a plurality of openings in the channel walls for securing the contents in the channel, which include an extension spring, a system of pulleys, a cord to connect the extension spring via the system of pulleys with the window sash, and a balance shoe. The balance shoe includes a frame, a locking member at least partially disposed within the frame, a cam in communication with the locking member, and a connecting device for attaching the balance shoe within the rigid U-shaped channel. Embodiments of this aspect of the invention can include the following features. At least a portion of the balance shoe is disposed within the rigid U-shaped channel. The connecting device can include one or more retractable tabs for engaging the rigid U-shaped channel. The retractable tabs can partially extend through at least one of the plurality of openings in the rigid U-shaped channel. The balance shoe can be further secured to the rigid U-shaped channel with a fastener that interfaces with a frame pocket in the balance shoe. The cam can include at least one camming surface and a keyhole opening for receiving a pivot bar attached to a window sash. The cam is at least partially housed within the frame and is disposed within a space enclosed by the locking member. Upon rotating the cam with the pivot bar, the locking member engages the window jamb. In one embodiment, the locking member includes two opposing ends integrally connected by a spring member. The cam is located within a space between the opposing ends of the locking member, and upon rotating the cam with the pivot bar, the opposing ends engage the window jamb. In another embodiment, the locking member includes a plate, which is parallel to a back surface of the frame. The cam is located within a space between the plate and the frame such that rotating the cam with the pivot bar forces the plate to engage the window jamb.
In still another aspect, the invention relates to a method of installing an inverted window balance system within a window jamb in a window frame. The method includes four basic steps. The first step is to provide an inverted window balance system that includes a rigid U-shaped channel with a plurality of openings in the channel walls for securing the contents in the channel, an extension spring and a system of pulleys disposed within the rigid U-shaped channel, a cord to connect the extension spring via the system of pulleys with the window sash, and a balance shoe. The balance shoe includes a frame, a locking member located at least partially within the frame, a cam in communication with the locking member, and a connecting device for attaching the balance shoe within the rigid U-shaped channel. The frame of the balance shoe has a frame bottom surface, a frame front surface, and two frame edge surfaces. The second step is to insert the inverted window balance system into a jamb track of the window jamb, such that an axis extending along a longitudinal direction of the rigid U-shaped channel is perpendicular to a back wall of the jamb track and an axis that is perpendicular to the two frame edge surfaces is parallel to the back wall while the frame front surface faces a side wall of the jamb track. The third step is to rotate the window balance system within the jamb track 90 degrees about the axis extending along the longitudinal direction of the rigid U-shaped channel, such that the frame front surface faces in a downward direction. The final step is to rotate the window balance system 90 degrees about the axis that is perpendicular to the two frame edge surfaces, such that the frame bottom surface faces in the downward direction.
These and other features of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
Referring to
In the depicted embodiment, the connecting device 212 is a pair of retractable tabs that snap into the rigid U-shaped channel 630. In other embodiments, other connecting devices such as a screw, may be used to secure the frame 211 to the rigid U-shaped channel 630. A fastener 635 located in the inverted window balance 622 can be used to further secure the connection between the snap lock balance shoe 210 and the inverted window balance 622. To accommodate the fastener 635, the snap lock balance shoe 210 can form a connection pocket 213 sized to receive or mate with the fastener 635.
Another element of the snap lock balance shoe 210 visible in
In the embodiment shown in
Referring to
Referring to
An advantage of the type of balance shoe presently disclosed is that the snap lock balance shoe 210 is attached within the rigid U-shaped channel 630 resulting in a longer rigid U-shaped channel 630 than in the inverted balance systems 120 for a given window sash. The longer rigid U-shaped channel 630 of the inverted window balance 622 allows for the use of longer extension springs that provide greater control of the vertical positioning of the window sash than a shorter rigid U-shaped channel 130 with a shorter extension spring. Another advantage of the present invention is that the snap lock balance shoe 210 contains a smaller number of parts than prior art balance shoes 110.
One installation method used to place a snap lock inverted window balance system 600 within the jamb tracks 108 is schematically illustrated in the remaining figures. The snap lock inverted window balance system 600 includes one inverted window balance 622 and one snap lock window balance 210.
The installation method just described can be carried out in reverse to remove the snap lock inverted window balance system 600 from the jamb track 108 of the window frame 102 to allow for easy replacement of the snap lock balance shoe 210 or the snap lock inverted window balance system 600 itself. In order to replace inverted window balance systems 120 with prior art balance shoes 110, either the jamb tracks 108 need to be warped or completely removed in order to replace the prior art balance shoe 110 of the inverted window balance system 120.
While there have been described several embodiments of the invention, other variants and alternatives will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown.
Claims
1-22. (canceled)
23. A method comprising:
- providing a U-shaped channel of a window balance system, the U-shaped channel including a fastener and an elongate axis;
- providing a balance shoe of the window balance system, wherein the balance shoe comprises a frame having a front surface, a rear surface, a cam, and a locking element engaged with the cam and configured to extend away from the frame upon a rotation of the cam;
- mating the balance shoe with the fastener when the balance shoe is in a first orientation relative to the U-shaped channel, wherein the balance shoe is configured to be pivoted into a different second orientation relative to the U-shaped channel, wherein in the second orientation, the elongate axis is substantially parallel to at least one of the front surface and the rear surface.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising pivoting the balance shoe into the second orientation.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the frame defines at least one pocket, and wherein mating the balance shoe with the fastener comprises inserting at least a portion of the fastener into the at least one pocket.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the fastener comprises a rivet spanning the U-shaped channel.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the pocket is defined by at least one of the front surface and the rear surface.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein the balance shoe comprises an elongate portion and an enlarged portion.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein the elongate portion defines the at least one pocket.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the elongate portion is configured to be received in the U-shaped channel when the balance shoe is in the second orientation.
31. The method of claim 24, further comprising engaging at least one of the balance shoe and the U-shaped channel with the other of the balance shoe and the U-shaped channel, so as to resist a subsequent pivoting of the balance shoe from the second orientation to the first orientation.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the engaging operation comprises at least partially inserting a tab extending from the balance shoe into an opening defined by the U-shaped channel.
33. The method of claim 24, further comprising at least partially inserting the balance shoe into a window jamb channel.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the inserting operation is performed subsequent to the pivoting operation.
35. The method of claim 23, wherein in the first orientation, at least one of the front surface and the rear surface are disposed at an angle to the elongate axis.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the angle is substantially orthogonal.
37. A method comprising:
- providing a U-shaped channel of a window balance system, the U-shaped channel including a fastener;
- providing a balance shoe of the window balance system, wherein the balance shoe comprises a frame having a front surface, a rear surface, a cam, and a locking element engaged with the cam and configured to extend away from the frame upon a rotation of the cam;
- mating the balance shoe with the fastener in a first balance shoe orientation;
- pivoting the balance shoe relative to the U-shaped channel into a second balance shoe orientation; and
- selectively engaging the balance shoe with the U-shaped channel in the second balance shoe orientation so as to resist a subsequent pivoting of the balance shoe relative to the U-shaped channel.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the balance shoe comprises an opening configured to receive the fastener.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the fastener is a rivet.
40. The method of claim 38, wherein the opening is a pocket.
41. The method of claim 37, wherein the fastener defines an axis about which the balance shoe pivots.
42. The method of claim 37, wherein pivoting of the balance shoe relative to the U-shaped channel occurs substantially simultaneously with selectively engaging the balance shoe with the U-shaped channel.
43. The method of claim 37, wherein the selectively engaging operation comprises engaging a portion of the shoe with a portion of the U-shaped channel.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 17, 2017
Publication Date: Dec 28, 2017
Patent Grant number: 10533359
Applicant: Amesbury Group, Inc. (Amesbury, MA)
Inventors: Stuart J. Uken (Sioux Falls, SD), Gary R. Newman (Valley Springs, SD), Lawrence J. VerSteeg (Sioux Falls, SD)
Application Number: 15/679,983